Gamecast 03 - Just Cause 2

Time for another bit-tech and Custom PC video gamecast - this time with Joe and Harry sitting down to show off what level and flavour of carnage you can wreak in Just Cause 2 with just a few thousand bullets, a grappling hook and an infinite supply of parachutes.

You can read our full Just Cause 2 review for more information on the game, or head on over to the main video page to download a HD version of the video, a mobile version of which is linked below.

What difficulty were you playing on? The bit where you're in the base makes it seem like you're invincible. I'm playing it through on normal difficulty and it's a pain later in the game when you get the higher heat level and more enemies because you end up just trying to complete the missions using the most efficient methods (i.e. parachute in, kill people, get out), rather than the most fun methods like you show in this video (i.e. using the grappling hook to tie people to lamp posts). I wish you could change the difficulty though, because as it is I'm seriously considering starting over on casual.

Originally Posted by smc8788. I'm playing it through on normal difficulty and it's a pain later in the game when you get the higher heat level and more enemies because you end up just trying to complete the missions using the most efficient methods (i.e. parachute in, kill people, get out),

You have to change your strategy.........collect all the items at the location, plant triggered explosives, retreat to safe distance, press button...BOOM.....100% complete, next please....or if you dont have enough explosives, blow as much up as you can in one go, then go elsewhere to earn enough cash to buy more and return to finish that locale off...

Originally Posted by smc8788What difficulty were you playing on? The bit where you're in the base makes it seem like you're invincible. I'm playing it through on normal difficulty and it's a pain later in the game when you get the higher heat level and more enemies because you end up just trying to complete the missions using the most efficient methods (i.e. parachute in, kill people, get out), rather than the most fun methods like you show in this video (i.e. using the grappling hook to tie people to lamp posts). I wish you could change the difficulty though, because as it is I'm seriously considering starting over on casual.

That's on Normal difficulty, no cheats.

Battles will go an AWFUL lot easier if you use the black market to upgrade the Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle to maximum. You go from needing an entire clip to kill a guard to being able to lift him off the ground with a single bullet.

Originally Posted by HustlerYou have to change your strategy.........collect all the items at the location, plant triggered explosives, retreat to safe distance, press button...BOOM.....100% complete, next please....or if you dont have enough explosives, blow as much up as you can in one go, then go elsewhere to earn enough cash to buy more and return to finish that locale off...

IMO, the word 'strategy' shouldn't have any place in a discussion when it comes to this game. For the agency missions, I do think you need a loose strategy if you want to beat them, but for the most part I just want to run around and blow stuff up, not plant explosives and run away as that would take a lot of the fun out of the game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoeThat's on Normal difficulty, no cheats.

Battles will go an AWFUL lot easier if you use the black market to upgrade the Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle to maximum. You go from needing an entire clip to kill a guard to being able to lift him off the ground with a single bullet.

I suppose (I wasn't suggesting you were cheating BTW, I just thought I would normally die after absorbing that many bullets ;))

I think I need to explore some more to get the weapon parts. I've been doing the Agency missions as soon as they've become available and only done a handful of faction missions. I think I've only upgraded the AR to 4 stars and the SMG to 3 stars so far.

Originally Posted by HustlerYou have to change your strategy.........collect all the items at the location, plant triggered explosives, retreat to safe distance, press button...BOOM.....100% complete, next please....or if you dont have enough explosives, blow as much up as you can in one go, then go elsewhere to earn enough cash to buy more and return to finish that locale off...

IMO, the word 'strategy' shouldn't have any place in a discussion when it comes to this game. For the agency missions, I do think you need a loose strategy if you want to beat them, but for the most part I just want to run around and blow stuff up, not plant explosives and run away as that would take a lot of the fun out of the game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardJoeThat's on Normal difficulty, no cheats.

Battles will go an AWFUL lot easier if you use the black market to upgrade the Submachine Gun and Assault Rifle to maximum. You go from needing an entire clip to kill a guard to being able to lift him off the ground with a single bullet.

I suppose (I wasn't suggesting you were cheating BTW, I just thought I would normally die after absorbing that many bullets ;))

I think I need to explore some more to get the weapon parts. I've been doing the Agency missions as soon as they've become available and only done a handful of faction missions. I think I've only upgraded the AR to 4 stars and the SMG to 3 stars so far.

4 star single handed shotgun feels very powerful, 2 shots is all that's needed. and use 4 star AR to do headshots. then a SMG to take care of rest.

best part of this game is to be able to hijack helicopters much easier than first game.

my favourite mission so far was to get to a deserted island by plane, but turns out there are WW2 Japanese army and some sort of EMI device, the dialog during that mission was great. if you are only playing agency missions, you are missing out! the agency missions is just a way to tie the back story. the main event of this game are the side faction missions.

The only thing holding me back from buying this outright is my fear that I'll quickly get bored with it. I played through the demo several times (even using CheatEngine to get rid of the timer and boundaries) and while it's pretty fun for a time I got tired of just running around blowing stuff up for no apparent reason or goal. Sandbox games seem to represent that eternal conundrum; give someone an infinite number of choices and they'll be unable to make up their mind.

Originally Posted by DarkefireThe only thing holding me back from buying this outright is my fear that I'll quickly get bored with it. I played through the demo several times (even using CheatEngine to get rid of the timer and boundaries) and while it's pretty fun for a time I got tired of just running around blowing stuff up for no apparent reason or goal. Sandbox games seem to represent that eternal conundrum; give someone an infinite number of choices and they'll be unable to make up their mind.

I don't know what to make of this game. :| Most reviews are basically "Every aspect of this game is pretty much garbage, but hey blowing up stuff is fun, 9/10 MUST BUY"

How many times can you blow up Generic Building #173 or hook a Generic Baddie Guy to an leaky oxygen tank before it gets old? I know personally I never even finish these gameplay videos, if it's tedious to watch, how much better can it be to play? I mean yeah it looks pretty, and carnage can be fun, sure, but if the gameplay is totally shallow and the world isn't believable, why care? Where's the context? Watching a virtual explosion over and over again in of itself has no appeal to me beyond maybe a few hours.

This is IMO the risk of making your game just about crazy stunts and little else. It's like using cheats in a game, sure it's fun to be invincible or fly or whatever for a few minutes. But then it gets dreadfully boring as by using the cheats, you've destroyed every legitimate gameplay mechanic designed into the game, and then there's nothing left besides merely watching virtual representations of dudes get shot. There's no believability or compelling gameplay anymore, and I'm worried that's how Just Cause is by design.

I'll try the demo when I have a PC that can run it, but I'm not really very interested at this point despite the high critical scores.

Originally Posted by DarkefireThe only thing holding me back from buying this outright is my fear that I'll quickly get bored with it. I played through the demo several times (even using CheatEngine to get rid of the timer and boundaries) and while it's pretty fun for a time I got tired of just running around blowing stuff up for no apparent reason or goal. Sandbox games seem to represent that eternal conundrum; give someone an infinite number of choices and they'll be unable to make up their mind.

I don't know what to make of this game. :| Most reviews are basically "Every aspect of this game is pretty much garbage, but hey blowing up stuff is fun, 9/10 MUST BUY"

How many times can you blow up Generic Building #173 or hook a Generic Baddie Guy to an leaky oxygen tank before it gets old? I know personally I never even finish these gameplay videos, if it's tedious to watch, how much better can it be to play? I mean yeah it looks pretty, and carnage can be fun, sure, but if the gameplay is totally shallow and the world isn't believable, why care? Where's the context? Watching a virtual explosion over and over again in of itself has no appeal to me beyond maybe a few hours.

This is IMO the risk of making your game just about crazy stunts and little else. It's like using cheats in a game, sure it's fun to be invincible or fly or whatever for a few minutes. But then it gets dreadfully boring as by using the cheats, you've destroyed every legitimate gameplay mechanic designed into the game, and then there's nothing left besides merely watching virtual representations of dudes get shot. There's no believability or compelling gameplay anymore, and I'm worried that's how Just Cause is by design.

I'll try the demo when I have a PC that can run it, but I'm not really very interested at this point despite the high critical scores.

Definately sounds like the game isn't for you. You sound like you need more than just a running around, blowing stuff up kinda of game. For those who want to go back to gamings roots; just for the fun of it, then this is a great game. :)

P.S. Quite worried how the conversation in the video went from "Computer Game Porn" to "A kids bedroom". Pahaha. xD

I got this game before the Easter hols and have been playing it ever since. It is absolutely fantastic. I think if GTA had never existed, the magazine and web reviewers would be going ga-ga over this. It's mint.

Blow up three rockets on their launch pads, then have to chase after a fourth that has just launched, in a jet fighter? Are you kidding me?

Well, all I can say is roll on payday! After a long day in the office what I generally want to do is just blow things up and it looks like this fits the bill. The review looked promising but the sheer carnage shown in the video makes it a must buy ;D

Ghys, I hear what you say about 3rd person and inverted mouse - it's what broke me of the habit after about 15 years of being a dedicated upside-downer. I've gotten used to using the mouse one way for sims and the other for 1st/3rd person shooters now but it definitely took some doing!

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